


A Mishap Or Two Will Lead Me To You

by SpaceJammie



Series: Oddly Specific First Meetings Fic Collection [9]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Background IwaOi - Freeform, Cute, First Meetings, Fluff, KinKuni - Freeform, Kunimi has Wallace Wells vibes, M/M, Oddly Specific Fic For My Oddly Specific Interests, iwaoi - Freeform, matsuhana - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:22:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27458695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceJammie/pseuds/SpaceJammie
Summary: Hanamaki agrees to watch Oikawa's dogs for a week.And then he and the dogs run into a very cute veterinarian while on a walk.
Relationships: Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira
Series: Oddly Specific First Meetings Fic Collection [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1982089
Comments: 36
Kudos: 149
Collections: My favorite haikyuu fics





	1. The First Mishap

Hanamaki Takahiro was holding two dog leashes in each hand. He was being pulled along through a park by four large Akita, which all belonged to his friend Oikawa Tooru. He had agreed to watch the dogs while Oikawa and his boyfriend, Iwaizumi Hajime, went on a weeklong vacation. Hanamaki was currently between jobs, so he was very grateful when the couple had offered to pay him to care for the dogs and watch the house while they were gone. 

Oikawa loved those dogs as much as a parent loved their children, so he was extremely picky about how the animals were cared for. He had even typed up a two page instruction manual on the dogs daily routine and care requirements. He then insisted that Hanamaki read it out loud to him before he left just to make sure nothing got skimmed over. Iwaizumi had apologized for the trouble (and by trouble he mostly meant Oikawa's helicopter dog parenting), but Hanamaki had assured Iwaizumi that it was no big deal. Especially not for how much they were paying him for watching the dogs; it was going to cover his rent for three months, which would hopefully be enough time to find a job.

It was a Monday morning when the first day of the weeklong commitment started. And it was the first time Hanamaki was taking the dogs out for a walk; he was feeling slightly regretful about agreeing to help as the strong dogs dragged him along helplessly. They wouldn't listen to his commands, and Hanamaki was doing all that he could to not fall as he was pulled forward against his will. 

Oikawa had insisted that the dogs all be walked together so that none felt left out. _'They are sensitive and get lonely. Trust me, you don't want to deal with them when they sulk,'_ he had said. However, Oikawa had also said that the dogs were very well behaved. But Hanamaki was starting to think that it may have been a blatant lie based on how the morning had gone so far.

The large amount of money for the favor suddenly made more sense. It was not generosity. Rather, it was bribery. It was basically Oikawa saying, _'I'm going to leave you with my four hellhounds and you're going to have a bad time, but I gave you money so you can't complain or back out.'_ But Hanamaki definitely _could_ complain. And rest assured, he _would_ complain. He had already decided to send a text asking Oikawa what his definition of 'well behaved' actually was. Because these dogs were anything but well mannered. 

Hanamaki was lost in thought and distracted with trying to keep his footing, so he hadn't been watching where the dogs were going. They had already made him walk through several mud puddles; his shoes were probably ruined and he was not happy about it. But when he looked up and saw that they were heading right for a man in a nice suit, he all but yelled at the four dogs. 

"Wait, wait, wait! Stop! Stay! Heel! Sit!" 

The yelling did not phase the dogs. But it did get the attention of the man who was walking ahead of them, who turned around just in time to have all four dogs playfully jump on him. The man was knocked back from the weight of the impact; the dogs surrounded him and started licking his hands and face. 

As Hanamaki yanked on the leashes, which did little to move the persistent dogs, he apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry! This is my first time walking them, I didn't know how strong they were! Or how stubborn. They take after their owner, apparently."

Most people would have been angry about being knocked over by dogs, especially dogs that happened to have muddy paws and no manners. But to Hanamaki's surprise, the man started laughing as he sat up and affectionately patted each of the dogs in turn. The stranger's laugh was wonderful; it was a steady rumble that almost reminded Hanamaki of a waterfall, somehow. Maybe because it was smooth and deep. The attractive sound matched the man's face quite well; he had thick eyebrows, a naturally easygoing expression, and pleasant features. His hair was dark, short, and messy. But not in a bad way. It was the type of unkempt style that many guys only wished they could pull off. 

_'Now this is a handsome man,'_ Hanamaki thought to himself as he continued to pull at the dog leashes. He soon realized he was focusing much more energy on checking out the stranger than he was on moving the dogs away. He then felt himself blush as the man looked up at him with a friendly smile. Hanamaki gave a wide smile in return; he couldn't even help it, it came automatically.

The dogs continued to nudge at the stranger as he was happily petting them and scratching behind their ears. The animals had taken a liking to him. They may be disobedient, but at least they were friendly. And truth be told, Hanamaki had also taken quite a liking to the man. There was a calm self assurance that the man seemed to carry himself with, and it made Hanamaki feel safer just by being near him. He was starting to feel grateful that the dogs had misbehaved.

When the stranger spoke, Hanamaki thought his voice was even more beautiful than the laugh had been; it was deep, earthy, mellow and playful. "I guess I should have washed my hands better after eating that pork bun for breakfast. But I got to meet some friendly pups and a nice guy, so maybe it was for the best."

Hanamaki tried to think of a clever reply as he met the man's gaze; he came up with nothing. As he looked down at the man's clothes, which were now covered in mud, he frowned from guilt. "Wow, these damn rascals really did a number on your suit. I'll pay to have it cleaned."

The man looked down at himself, and his smile only faltered a little bit. "Ah, well, accidents happen. Don't worry about paying for it. It's not a big deal."

Hanamaki shook his head as he pulled earnestly at the leashes, which did little to move the four dogs. "I insist on paying for it. Please, I feel really bad."

The man looked back up at Hanamaki and studied his face for a moment, then smiled and spoke in a playful voice. "I guess we can exchange phone numbers, then, if it will help ease your conscience."

"It would definitely make me feel better," Hanamaki said quickly as he dug into his pocket for his phone. It proved difficult since he also had to keep hold of the leashes, but eventually he managed it.

The stranger gently pushed the dogs off of himself and stood up. All four dogs stayed close to him while trying to jump up on him, but the man looked down at the dogs and spoke firmly. "Calm down now, you wild lot. Sit!"

The dogs all listened and sat down while their tails wagged against the ground happily. Hanamaki stared at the animals, then looked at the man in disbelief. He felt a combination of awe and irritation; the dogs had not obeyed him like that, not even once. "How did you get them to listen like that?"

With an amused grin, the man shrugged and pulled out his phone. "Animals always seem to listen to me. It's part of why I became a veterinarian. What name should I save your number under?"

Hanamaki unlocked his phone and went to add a new contact. "Oh, I'm Hanamaki Takahiro. What about you?"

"Matsukawa Issei. Nice to meet you," the attractive man said with an equally attractive grin. 

Hanamaki felt himself getting slightly hopeful as they exchanged phone numbers. Matsukawa was definitely handsome and maybe he was interested. But then, it also seemed unlikely that Matsukawa was single, let alone attracted to men; he was basically dripping in sex appeal. He could probably have his pick of girlfriend or boyfriend, whichever he preferred. Hanamaki held back a discouraged sigh as he pocketed his phone that now held Matsukawa's number. Then he met Matsukawa's gaze and they silently stared at each other for a moment. He was debating whether he should ask the man for a date, but he couldn't summon the courage.

It was Matsukawa who finally broke the silence. "Well, I need to get to work now or I'll be late. See you around," he said with a smile and a nod. 

The dogs tried to follow Matsukawa, so Hanamaki had to hold onto them with all his strength. Yet the dogs still almost managed to pull him over multiple times. As his eyes travelled up and down Matsukawa's body as he walked away, he ended up giving a sly smile; he may feel terrible that Matsukawa was going to work in muddy clothes, and he may end up having to pay a chunk of his dog watching money to clean Matsukawa's suit, but at least he had Matsukawa's phone number now. He decided he needed to find out if Matsukawa was single or not, and then go from there. 

  
  
  
  



	2. Spill The Tea For Kunimi

Matsukawa left the park and made his way to the veterinary clinic where he worked. He'd gotten many odd looks on the way due to the muddy paw prints all over his suit. But he didn't really mind; a ruined suit seemed worth it since he had gotten Hanamaki's phone number because of it.

There was a small, satisfied grin on Matsukawa's face as he entered the lobby of the small clinic. He was lost in thought as he walked past the receptionist, Kunimi Akira, at the front desk. He didn't even glance at Kunimi. But if he had, he would have seen the look of surprise and curiosity that crossed Kunimi's face as he looked at the muddy suit.

Matsukawa wondered if he should text Hanamaki immediately or wait until later that day. Or maybe he would wait until tomorrow, he wasn't really sure yet. It had been a long time since he had even thought about trying to date someone. Not for any reason in particular, though. He was just very dedicated to his job. And he also didn't meet a lot of new people, aside from the owners of the pets under his care. As far as coworkers, it was just himself along with Kunimi in reception and Kindaichi Yuutarou, who was also a veterinarian.

No one had captured Matsukawa's interest before, at least not like Hanamaki had. Something about Hanamaki made Matsukawa feel excited and giddy as if he were a teenager again. He was already trying to come up with an excuse to see the pink haired man again, and preferably soon. Matsukawa was lost in a daydream and almost ran into Kindaichi as they both walked towards the door of the back office.

The tall man gave Matsukawa a worried frown as he stepped out of his way. "What in the world happened to your clothes? You're covered in mud. Are those paw prints?"

Matsukawa glanced at Kindaichi and gave a smirk as he moved to walk over to his desk while shrugging out of his muddy suit jacket. "Something good happened, and that's all you need to know."

Kindaichi followed behind Matsukawa with his arms crossed. "Are you going to talk to our customers dressed like that?"

Matsukawa chuckled as he sat in his desk chair. "Somehow I don't think the dogs and cats will care if I'm a little messy."

With a scoff and an eye roll, Kindaichi replied dryly. "I meant their owners, obviously."

"I work with animals, so I think muddy paw prints on my clothes will be understandable. I'll just call it a fashion statement or something," Matsukawa replied with an unbothered air. He then turned and gave Kindaichi a playful smile.

Just then, Kunimi burst into the room. He was slightly out of breath as he pointed at Matsukawa. "You came to work later than usual, in a muddy suit, with a dorky grin plastered onto your face! Explain, I need answers!"

Kindaichi made an accusing expression directed at Kunimi. "Who's going to watch the lobby and answer the phone if you're not up there?"

Kunimi nudged his boyfriend out of the way so he could get a better look at Matsukawa. "I locked the entrance doors, our first appointment isn't for another thirty minutes, and we have voicemail for a reason," he said as he leaned one hand on Matsukawa's desk and gave an expectant look.

Matsukawa and Kunimi stared at each other silently in a battle of wills. Matsukawa didn't like bringing up personal stuff during work hours, whereas Kunimi loved gossip. Kindaichi usually didn't care either way, but apparently he was curious this time. He ended up standing next to Kunimi and crossing his arms as he helped stare down Matsukawa. 

"You two are a pain," Matsukawa said in a calm voice. "I have no obligation to tell you anything."

Kunimi reached behind himself and locked the door to the office, then looked at Matsukawa as he shook around a large metal ring with all the clinic keys on it. "None of us are leaving this room until you give me the reason why you look like someone just confessed to you," he said insistently. Then, as if he made a sudden realization, his face brightened. "Wait… _did_ someone confess to you?"

Matsukawa couldn't stop the blush that crossed his face, so he turned away to shuffle papers around on his desk to keep himself busy. "Not exactly."

Kindaichi raised an eyebrow. "But you met someone, didn't you?"

Matsukawa glanced at Kindaichi with a mellow expression, though a small smile played on his lips. "Maybe I did."

Kunimi gave a sharp look; it was also a very pleased one. "Well, what's his name? What's he like? How did you meet?"

Matsukawa sighed. He knew Kunimi wasn't going to drop the subject without getting some information first. "I'll answer one of those questions and then we're all getting to work."

Kunimi glanced at Kindaichi, then they both smiled and responded together. "Name?"

"Not that one. I don't want you looking him up. You'd probably try to set up a date with him on my behalf," Matsukawa replied evenly as he leaned an elbow on his desk and rested his chin on his fist.

"In that case, answer both the other questions or I won't leave you alone about it all day," Kunimi countered. His expression was set triumphantly; he knew he'd won and probably had counted on Matsukawa not wanting to give a name up.

Matsukawa closed his mouth in a firm line while he thought about his reply. "Fine. He's attractive and considerate, and cute when flustered. I met him when I was crossing through the park while he was walking four dogs. They all ended up jumping on me. Hence the muddy paw prints."

Kindaichi hummed and frowned. "Not a very respectable pet owner if he was letting his dogs do that."

Matsukawa was quick to jump to Hanamaki's defense. "Didn't seem like they were his. I think he said it was his first time walking them, and that they were stubborn like their owner."

Kunimi looked concerned as he put one a hand on his hip and the other over his mouth. "Oh no, maybe he's dating the owner. Did you ask?"

Matsukawa knit his brows together in worry. He had not considered that the adorable pink haired man might be walking the dogs for a boyfriend or girlfriend. But then, Hanamaki had seemed to be checking him out. Suddenly he felt a little unsure about what the brief interaction with Hanamaki had really meant. He may have completely misinterpreted it.

Kindaichi noticed Matsukawa's expression fall and hurried to speak in a voice that was reassuring. "Maybe he was walking them for a friend. Or maybe he works as a dog walker. Lots of possibilities could fit."

Kunimi nodded in agreement. "True, there are many possibilities. Regardless, it seems like this guy made quite an impression on you. Did you at least ask for his phone number?"

Matsukawa gave a fond grin as he continued to shuffle papers around on his desk aimlessly. "He insisted on paying to get my suit cleaned, so we exchanged numbers."

Kunimi patted Matsukawa on the shoulder while he replied. "Well it's hard to tell either way at this point. He might have been doing the polite thing, but it's just as likely that he insisted on paying for dry cleaning because he wanted your number. Call him when you get off work and ask him to dinner, that's the quickest way to figure it out."

Matsukawa began to actually look through and sort his paperwork so he could start his day. "Maybe I will. I'm not sure. I was planning on sending him a text, at least."

Kindaichi spoke teasingly before grabbing the keys from Kunimi so he could unlock the office door. "I think you should go for it. We're tired of seeing you mope around all sad and single."

Matsukawa turned to question Kindaichi about his statement, but the turnip haired man swiftly left the room. He looked instead at Kunimi, who just shrugged. "You've seemed sort of lonely, as of late."

"Well I've not been feeling that way. I'm happy with my life, I like my job, I have a nice apartment. I have coworkers that I can tolerate most of the time," Matsukawa said, smirking at the last bit. 

Kunimi rolled his eyes. "Mhm. I'm sure. I'll look forward to when you tell me all about how your date goes."

"If there even is one," Matsukawa said as he returned his attention to his desk, which he really should work on organizing better. 

Kunimi sighed in exasperation, then turned to leave the room. "Don't sell yourself short, you're a great guy. If he's gay and single, he's going to say yes to a date with you. I guarantee it." With that, Kunimi walked out and left Matsukawa to think about Hanamaki.

Once he was alone in the room, Matsukawa pulled out his phone and opened it to Hanamaki's number. He almost sent a text, but decided he'd go ahead and wait until that evening. He didn't want to give a bad impression if he couldn't reply until much later in the day, since he usually stayed busy at work. He slid his phone into his pocket and turned on his computer to see what animal patients he would be seeing that day. The first one was an Akita puppy; he smiled to himself since that breed now reminded him of Hanamaki. 

  
  



	3. Another Mishap

That evening, Hanamaki was back at the park with the dogs. Oikawa had specifically asked him to walk the dogs for at least an hour twice a day, warning that if he didn't do that then the dogs would chew up the furniture. Hanamaki didn't want to be responsible for that; he planned on staying at the park for another fifty minutes, at least. 

Though he might stay longer if necessary, because he was also hoping that he might catch Matsukawa walking through the park again. He was assuming that Matsukawa had to pass through it to reach his home. He had debated with himself all day about whether or not to text Matsukawa, but he decided he would wait until that night or the next morning. He didn't want to come off seeming as ridiculously eager as he actually was. 

But he did let himself look the man up on social media, and that had ended up taking most of his day. He couldn't help it; Matsukawa had a ton of cute photos posted online. And best of all, there were no photos with a significant other. That made Hanamaki hopeful that Matsukawa was indeed single.

Hanamaki thought he was getting a better handle on walking the dogs now that he was mentally prepared for their strength and disobedience. He considered whether he should do extra push ups to build his upper arm strength; thinking about arm strength made him wonder what Matsukawa's biceps felt like. He had seen Matsukawa's beach vacation pictures when he was social media stalking, and now knew that Matsukawa had a strong body. He blushed at himself for thinking about it, and he also felt a little embarrassed for how long he had spent scrolling through Matsukawa's old pictures. It was a secret he swore to himself that he would never reveal. 

One of the dogs stopped walking next to a bench, which made the other dogs stop and circle around whatever had caught the first animal's attention. Hanamaki stopped walking and relaxed his arms; he was grateful for a small break in pulling at the leashes. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and checked it, and there was a message. The text was from Matsukawa, and Hanamaki immediately felt a rush of excitement as he clicked to open it. 

  
  


**Matsukawa Issei**

_Received at 5:35pm_

_Hey, I thought more about it and I don't think I'll let you pay to clean my suit. But if you really want to do something to make it up to me, I have an idea._

  
  


Hanamaki's mind raced as he read through the text again. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he was really hopeful that Matsukawa was going to suggest something that would lead to them hanging out. Before he went to text a reply, Hanamaki glanced at the dogs to check on them. When he saw that they were all covered in what looked like frosting, he frowned. He shoved his phone back into his pocket and leaned down to push the dogs away from what they were eating, and discovered that someone had literally left a chocolate cake on the ground by the bench. 

"Shit," Hanamaki mumbled as he pulled the dogs away. It took all his strength to get the animals further up the path and away from the abandoned cake. He didn't know that much about dogs, but he did know that they weren't supposed to have chocolate. He hoped they had not eaten much of it. With a worried twist of his mouth, he wondered if he should text Oikawa. But that would ruin Oikawa's whole vacation, and it may not even be that big of a deal. 

Hanamaki didn't know how much of the chocolate cake the dogs had actually eaten or if it was a serious problem. He frowned nervously and wondered what to do. But he brightened when he remembered that Matsukawa was a veterinarian; he pulled his phone back out and clicked on the text from Matsukawa. His hands were a little too shaky from his nervousness about the dogs to be able to send a text, so he hit call instead.

He tried to hold all the leashes in one hand so that he could hold the phone with his other. He ended up hooking his arm inside the loops of the four leashes, which felt more secure. The dogs were trying to go back to the cake as Hanamaki attempted to drag them farther away while the phone rang. He bit his bottom lip as he waited for an answer. 

Matsukawa picked up on the fourth ring. His voice was friendly and light. "Hey, I didn't expect you to call. Were you going to try to convince me to let you pay for cleaning my suit? Because my mind's made up, I won't let you."

Hanamaki chuckled nervously. "Oh, uhm, we can figure that out later. Sorry, I actually have a small emergency, maybe. Uhm, it's about the dogs I'm watching."

Matsukawa's voice grew serious. "What happened?"

The dogs pulled against the leashes, almost jostling Hanamaki enough to make him drop his phone. "We're at the park for their evening walk and someone left a chocolate cake on the ground next to a bench. The dogs all ate some, but I'm not sure how much of it they got."

There was a small pause before Matsukawa spoke again. "I'm still at the clinic where I work. We're technically closed, but you should bring them here right now if you can."

Hanamaki's stomach dropped. It seemed like it really might be a serious thing. "Oh… okay. Where's your clinic?"

"I'll text you the address, or do you want me to come meet you at the park?"

As if they could sense Hanamaki's nervousness, the dogs lunged forward again. Hanamaki barely kept a hold on his phone as he was jerked along the path, and the strong pull was hurting his wrist where the leashes were all bunched around it. "Shit, the dogs are going wild. I can't keep a good hold of them with one hand. I'm going to hang up and check for your text with the address as soon as I can, okay?"

Without waiting for a reply, Hanamaki hung up and shoved his phone back into his pocket. He then braced himself to pull on the leashes with both hands so he could stop the dogs that were trying to run away. They were dragging him along after them. He managed to slow them eventually, and soon after was able to check the text from Matsukawa. He clicked on the address so that his phone GPS could guide him there. He started heading that way, but the four dogs were not cooperative. 

\--------

Matsukawa sent the address of the clinic to Hanamaki. He then quickly stood up and rushed out of the back office where he had been finishing up paperwork. The lobby of the clinic had no one inside except for Kunimi and Kindaichi, who were both getting ready to leave for the day. Both men turned to look at Matsukawa when he came running up to them.

"Hey, sorry, can you two come with me? I'm gonna go meet the guy from this morning. The four dogs he's watching just ate an unknown amount of chocolate cake and I want to help him bring them here. They're at the park a few blocks away."

Kunimi and Kindaichi both had expressions that moved from curious to serious as they nodded and followed Matsukawa. The three men ran down the street towards the park. It only took a couple minutes for them to find Hanamaki, who was trying to pull the dogs towards the direction of the clinic. But the four animals were not interested in following Hanamaki and were all trying to go in different directions. Matsukawa thought that Hanamaki looked really cute when he was flustered and worried; he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face when he looked at the pink haired man. 

When Hanamaki saw Matsukawa, his face looked relieved. "I'm so glad you came. These dogs won't listen to me and I could use your magical voice right about now," he said with an exasperated huff. He had two leashes in each hand and his arms were spread out wide as the dogs pulled in opposite directions. 

Matsukawa gave Hanamaki a small nod as he moved to take two of the leashes. He then directed a command at the dogs. "Stay!"

The four dogs stopped moving around and turned to look at Matsukawa, who passed a leash to Kunimi and Kindaichi. Soon each man held one leash as they led the dogs back towards the clinic at a quick pace. Much to Matsukawa's embarrassment, Kunimi and Kindaichi were very obviously examining Hanamaki. Kunimi kept sneaking Matsukawa an approving smile along with a sly wink. But Hanamaki didn't seem to notice that he had earned an inspection from Matsukawa's friends; he seemed to be lost in thought and was slightly pale. 

Matsukawa reached his hand out and gave Hanamaki's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay, we'll do our best to help."

Hanamaki turned to look at Matsukawa with a weak smile; worry was written all over his face. "Is it pretty serious?"

Matsukawa hesitated. It was pretty bad for a dog to eat something that likely had both bakers chocolate and cocoa powder in it, which a chocolate cake almost certainly would have had. But the dogs were a good size, which would work to their favor. And hopefully they didn't eat much of it. They were also early enough in catching it that they could deal with it effectively.

It was Kunimi that ended up speaking in response to Hanamaki. His voice was calm and confident as he led one of the dogs along. "Don't worry. They'll be fine."

Kindaichi nodded from where he walked beside Kunimi, holding a leash in one hand and Kunimi's free hand in his other. "Yeah, it just happened right? Treating them so quickly after they ate it will make all the difference."

Hanamaki nodded and subconsciously stepped closer to Matsukawa, who still had a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for coming to help bring them over. I really appreciate it."

Kunimi was about to reply; based on the sly smile forming on his lips, he likely would have said something to insinuate that there was a relationship forming between Hanamaki and Matsukawa.

So Matsukawa spoke up before Kunimi could be embarrassing. "I'm glad you called me for help. It was the right thing to do. If you'd have waited until they had symptoms of chocolate poisoning, it would have been a lot worse," he said. He then glanced over at Kunimi with a sharp look that silently communicated something along the lines of _'don't you dare try to set us up, I can handle things myself.'_

Kunimi gave a smug grin but stayed silent. Kindaichi also picked up the look and gave Matsukawa a knowing smirk.

They reached the clinic quickly and Matsukawa led the group inside as he looked at Hanamaki. "We're going to have to pump their stomachs and then get them to eat activated charcoal to soak up the toxins. It won't be a fun process. Do you want to wait here or come back to help? Either is fine."

Hanamaki replied immediately. "I'll come help. These dogs belong to a friend of mine, and I'll do whatever I can."

Matsukawa nodded. He also caught Kunimi mouthing the words _'their his friend's dogs'_ while giving a thumbs up. Kindaichi also gave a thumbs up along with a goofy grin. Matsukawa rolled his eyes at the two men because a date was the last thing on his mind at that moment. He needed to take care of the dogs. He still had a reassuring hand on Hanamaki's shoulder as he led the group back to an exam room so that they could treat the dogs; it definitely was not the way Matsukawa had wanted to spend time with Hanamaki, though overall he was very glad to see him again.

By the time they were done treating the dogs, all four men had sort of bonded over the experience. Hanamaki seemed comfortable with the three men, and Matsukawa had been impressed with how level headed Hanamaki had been. Kunimi and Kindaichi each sent a text with their written approval of Hanamaki, and smiled gleefully as they watched Matsukawa blush while reading their messages from where he stood beside Hanamaki. Matsukawa hoped that Hanamaki didn't notice his suddenly flushed face. 

  
  
  
  



	4. An Overnight Stay At The Clinic

All four dogs ended up symptomatic despite the treatment, so Matsukawa decided to keep them overnight for observation. Hanamaki insisted on staying there with the dogs, knowing Oikawa would want him to do so. That also meant that he would get to spend the night with Matsukawa, which was a bigger factor in his decision than he would ever admit. 

Kunimi and Kindaichi left after Matsukawa and Hanamaki said they would both stay overnight, but not before giving Matsukawa lots of secret winks. Hanamaki had actually caught sight of some of them, but pretended not to notice. He thought Matsukawa was cute when he was blushing. The two mischievous men had just left when Hanamaki pulled out his phone to send a quick text to Oikawa. Now that things had settled down, he felt good about giving his friend an event description that wouldn't be too negative.

  
  


**Oikawa**

Sent at 8:45pm

_Hey. No need to freak out, everything's fine. But the dogs did accidentally eat some chocolate and now they have to stay at a vet clinic overnight. They're doing well, it's just precautionary observation. They're sleeping peacefully._

  
  


Hanamaki slid his phone back into his pocket and looked at Matsukawa, who was sitting across from him at the small table in the clinic office. The dogs were settled in a room that served as an overnight kennel, so it was quiet in the back office. Hanamaki felt a little shy now that they were alone.

Matsukawa's phone made a notification ping. He checked it and then glanced at Hanamaki with a smile. "I ordered us some food and it's going to get dropped off any minute now. I'm going to wait in the lobby until the delivery driver comes."

Hanamaki grinned happily. "I'm glad you did, because I'm actually so hungry right now. I've not eaten since lunch."

Matsukawa chuckled as he stood up. "I'm starving too, so I ordered us a lot." He glanced back over his shoulder when he reached the door. "Be back in a few minutes."

Hanamaki watched Matsukawa leave the room and then let out a happy hum; he definitely felt awful about the dogs, but he was very pleased that he was getting an evening with Matsukawa. Now that it was just them, it felt like a date. Hanamaki jumped a bit in surprised when his phone suddenly started ringing. When he pulled it out and looked at the screen, he saw that he was getting a video call from Oikawa. He clicked his tongue and frowned; he knew he was in for an earful. 

As soon as the video connected to Oikawa, he was practically yelling in hysterics. "What happened to my babies, Makki?! Gods, do we need to come back? Oh, we should!" 

Oikawa turned to Iwaizumi, who was just out of view of the camera. "Pack your bags, Hajime. We're going home right now."

Oikawa started crying at that point. Hanamaki tried to talk, but it didn't seem like his friend was listening. The video left Oikawa's face and moved around the room, as though it was in the man's hand as he was trying to pack things into his suitcase. But then the phone dropped on the floor and Hanamaki had a view of Oikawa from below, from near the man's feet. 

Iwaizumi had both hands on Oikawa's face while wiping tears away with his thumbs. "It's going to be okay. Let's try to listen to the story and find out more before we react."

Oikawa sniffled and leaned into Iwaizumi for a hug, and the two embraced for a moment. Hanamaki sighed as he stared at his phone, which was just a view of the two men embracing each other from where Oikawa's phone still sat on the floor at their feet. He wanted someone to comfort him like that when he was upset. He wondered what Matsukawa would do if he ever cried in front of him 

Finally, Oikawa leaned down and picked up the phone. Iwaizumi and Oikawa were both in the picture now, and it was Iwaizumi who spoke while Oikawa snuggled against him. "So, what happened exactly?"

Hanamaki took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. "I was walking the dogs at the park, and some jerk had left a chocolate cake on the ground. The dogs ate some. I immediately called a guy I met when I was walking them this morning, who happens to be a vet. He and his coworkers came and got us, took us to the clinic, and we treated the dogs. They are doing pretty good, but have been mildly symptomatic. They're sleeping now and need to stay here overnight."

Oikawa pouted. "You took them to some clinic they don't usually go to and are trusting some vet man you just met? I hope you're not leaving them there alone tonight! Sleep on the floor next to them, or they'll think they were abandoned!"

Iwaizumi sighed. "We can't ask him to do that, Tooru."

Before Oikawa could argue, Hanamaki spoke up. "I actually am going to stay the night at the clinic. Matsukawa said that was okay." He felt kind of excited telling them the name of the man he had a crush on, and could feel his face heat up.

Oikawa focused his attention on Hanamaki; his expression was thoughtful. After a moment, he smirked. "You're blushing. Is this 'Matsukawa' cute?"

Hanamaki blushed even darker. "He… he's cute, yes."

Oikawa squealed. "Okay, alright! So I'm very upset that my babies are sick, but you can make it up to me right now. Get the handsome vet man on screen so I can see him."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes at the sudden development in the conversation and moved out of view. He didn't care for this type of gossip. Especially not when he was supposed to be on vacation. 

Hanamaki frowned. "No way. You'll say something embarrassing."

With a playful smile, Oikawa shook his head. "I would never! Please, Makki! It'll make me feel better if the vet caring for my babies is cute and possibly a love interest for one of my closest friends!"

Before Hanamaki could argue more, Matsukawa walked back into the office with a bag of food. He grinned at Hanamaki as he set the bag on the small table. Hanamaki looked at him with a nod and an appreciative smile. 

Oikawa noticed Hanamaki's attention shift and spoke loudly through the phone. "If you can hear me, Matsukawa, please come to where I can see you! I'm the owner of the dogs!"

Hanamaki froze momentarily, but Matsukawa didn't seem concerned by Oikawa's forwardness. He just moved to stand behind Hanamaki's chair and leaned his head just over Hanamaki's shoulder so that he was in the shot. He then gave Oikawa a friendly grin. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm the vet caring for your dogs, Matsukawa Issei. They're all doing well. Hanamaki acted quickly and that made the treatment much more effective."

Oikawa looked at Matsukawa and was obviously analyzing him. Finally, he flashed a warm smile. "Nice to meet you! I'm Oikawa Tooru. I'm so glad that my dear friend Makki thought to call you. I'll have to meet you myself when I get back from vacation, to thank you in person."

Matsukawa chuckled and moved one hand up to squeeze Hanamaki's shoulder, leaving it there after. "Well, like I said, your friend here acted fast. Time is a big factor when it comes to chocolate poisoning in dogs."

Hanamaki was very aware of how close Matsukawa was to his face, and of the weight of Matsukawa's hand on his shoulder. He hoped Matsukawa wouldn't notice his blush as he gently bit his lower lip, which was a nervous habit he had. 

Oikawa noticed it though, and smiled playfully. "Makki really is great, isn't he. I wouldn't trust anyone else to watch my dogs and my house for a whole week. He mentioned that you're letting him stay the night at the clinic, that's so kind of you. Please take good care of him, he's my precious friend. I can tell he thinks highly of you, and I hope you realize what a catch he is!"

Hanamaki wanted to punch Oikawa for saying embarrassing things. He wished it were possible to do so through the phone. Instead he cleared his throat. "Well, our food's here so we're going now. I'll text you tomorrow, bye."

He barely gave Oikawa a chance to register his words before hanging up the call. He glanced at Matsukawa as he spoke; their faces were still close. "Uh, sorry about him. He is exuberant."

Matsukawa gave a low chuckle before standing up and moving to sit down beside Hanamaki. "He seemed nice. It's a relief he didn't freak out about the dogs, huh?"

Hanamaki grinned and was glad that Matsukawa hadn't been in the room for Oikawa's loud freak out at the beginning of the call. "He handled the news pretty well, all things considered."

After a loud stomach growl from Hanamaki, the two men started eating. They made easy conversation and got to know each other; it was almost midnight by the time they finished talking. Finally, Matsukawa yawned and stood up. "We have a futon here for when someone has to watch an animal overnight. You can sleep on it while I take the floor."

Hanamaki yawned as well, and shook his head. "I couldn't let you do that. You take the futon."

Matsukawa had moved to pull the futon out of a closet and was setting it out on the floor. "No, really. You take the futon."

Hanamaki looked between Matsukawa and the futon a couple times. The futon was actually a pretty good sized one, and a thought crossed his mind; they could probably both fit on it. He glanced away from Matsukawa when he voiced his idea because he was too nervous to make eye contact. "We could just share the futon. It's big enough."

There was a silence for a short moment, though it felt like forever to Hanamaki. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until Matsukawa spoke while turning back towards the closet to pull out a blanket and pillow. "Well, if you're comfortable with the idea, then we could do that. But I was going to sleep in my boxers since my clothes are muddy from this morning."

Hanamaki felt his face warm up. He glanced down at his own clothes, which were also muddy from being dragged through multiple puddles. He replied impulsively. "That's fine. I'll wear my boxers as well, then we'll match." He wanted to facepalm himself because he felt immediately awkward for saying that. 

Matsukawa had a surprised look on his face. He was also blushing deeply, much to Hanamaki's surprise and delight. He really cute when his cheeks were flushed with pink. He almost mumbled his response. "I mean, that's fine…. I'm going to get undressed now."

With that, Matsukawa unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. Hanamaki bit the inside of his cheeks to try to keep from smiling like a dork as he ogled the man's defined abs. Matsukawa avoided looking at Hanamaki and moved to take off his pants; his blush was even more deep and obvious.Hanamaki stood up and pulled off his own shirt, followed by his pants. They snuck glances at each other but avoided eye contact.

They stood awkwardly in their boxers for a moment until Mastukawa moved towards the light switch. "Ready for sleep?"

Hanamaki nodded and laid down on the futon, then pulled the blanket over himself to hide his body. He was feeling super self conscious. He couldn't believe he was about to sleep next to Matsukawa. It was like some fantasy that he would have only daydreamed about. 

Once the lights were out, Matsukawa came to lay next to Hanamaki, slipping under the blanket. He pushed the pillow over towards Hanamaki. "You can use the pillow."

Hanamaki pushed it back. "No, you can use it."

Matsukawa chuckled and shoved it back gently. "Please, I insist."

Hanamaki laughed and sat up, then leaned over Matsukawa to lift the man's head and put the pillow underneath it. "Seriously, you take it."

Matsukawa let out a huff of air in defeat, and the two of them ended up giggling together. Hanamaki realized he was still leaning over Matsukawa, and he felt himself get goosebumps from excitement. He cleared his throat and backed up, then laid down next to Matsukawa again.

"Well, goodnight," Hanamaki said, hoping his voice didn't sound strained. 

"Goodnight," Matsukawa said quietly. His voice sounded less confident than usual; soft and shy would be fair descriptions. Hanamaki thought that Matsukawa must be nervous too, which made him grin.

He could feel the heat from Mastukawa's body since the man's arm was just a few inches from his own, and it was rather cozy. It was quiet as they laid there together and Hanamaki's eyelids started to feel heavier and heavier. He slowly slid his leg over until it was just half an inch away from Matsukawa's leg. Then Matsukawa closed the distance, and their legs rested against each other. Hanamaki closed his tired eyes and smiled. Despite the tension of the sleeping arrangements, the men fell asleep quickly. It had been a long day and they both slept heavily; they unconsciously gravitated closer to each other as the night went on.

  
  
  
  



	5. A Third Mishap

Hanamaki woke up before Matsukawa did. Much to his surprise, he had ended up cuddling against Matsukawa's side, tucked under the man's arm. It was warm and comfortable, and he didn't want to get up. The sound of Matsukawa's steady heart beat was relaxing; Hanamaki could hear it from where his head rested on the man's chest.

He snuggled closer to Matsukawa and closed his eyes while hoping he could fall back asleep. However, the slight movement was enough to wake Matsukawa. He opened his eyes and blinked slowly a few times, then turned to look at Hanamaki, whose eyes were still closed. There was a moment of calm silence as Matsukawa studied Hanamaki's face with a soft expression on his features. Then he smiled as he automatically hugged Hanamaki closer against himself as a pleased smile crossed his lips. 

But the pressure of the tightened embrace made Hanamaki open his eyes and look at Matsukawa. They stared at each other quietly. Hanamaki briefly glanced at Matsukawa's lips; he really wanted to kiss him. As if he had the same desire, Matsukawa started leaning closer to Hanamaki's face. And then their lips were almost close enough to touch.

Unfortunately, Kunimi walked into the office just then. He always got there early to prepare the clinic for the day. When he saw the two men cuddled on the futon, and noticed their clothes sprawled around the floor, an amused smile crossed his face. His voice was both playful and smug as he spoke. "Sorry for interrupting _whatever_ you're doing. I'll just go ahead and give you two a few more minutes." With that, he winked and walked out of the room.

The realization of what Kunimi had assumed they were doing hit them at the same time, and both men blushed as they hurried to stand up and get dressed. 

As Matsukawa buttoned his shirt up, he spoke in a slightly tight voice. "I'm going to go to my apartment so I can shower and get fresh clothes. Do you want me to help you walk the dogs back home first?"

Hanamaki shook his head and avoided looking at Matsukawa; he knew how red his must be. He was pulling his pants on when he replied. "Maybe just to the park, you probably need to hurry so you're not late for work. I'll be okay the rest of the way."

Matsukawa nodded, though he looked like he wanted to insist on walking Hanamaki all the way home anyway. But the embarrassment from Kunimi seeing them cuddling in their boxers kept him from being as confident as he usually would have been. They left the clinic while walked with the dogs and went go as far as the park together. Then they went their separate ways; Matsukawa went to his apartment and Hanamaki headed to Oikawa's house. 

The dogs all seemed completely recovered, much to Hanamaki's relief. They were symptom free and as rowdy as ever. He took a video of the dogs playing together and sent it to Oikawa to reassure him that they were okay.

Matsukawa had said that the dogs could go back to their usual routine. So after Hanamaki had time to get himself cleaned up and eat a quick breakfast, he took the dogs for their morning walk. And he was once again being dragged along by the strong beasts. He frowned at the realization that it was only Tuesday and he had to watch the dogs all the way through to Sunday. 

But he cheered up when he saw that Matsukawa was walking through the park on his way back to the clinic. Matsukawa wore a different suit, though it was just as nice as his other one. It seemed like a shower and breakfast had restored his confidence. His hands were in his pockets as he walked along and he was whistling a cheerful tune to himself. He seemed happily and content, which was also how Hanamaki himself was feeling.

When Matsukawa noticed Hanamaki, he flashed a warm smile as he walked over. The dogs tried to jump up at him at that point. But Hanamaki was careful to hold them extra tight; he couldn't bear to ruin another of Matsukawa's suits. 

"Fancy meeting you here," Matsukawa said playfully when he was close enough to be heard but not so close that the dogs could jump on him. He then leaned down to pet them affectionately. 

Hanamaki gave an impish grin. "You sure seem happy to see the dogs again. I'm feeling a little left out."

Matsukawa stood up and chuckled. "I could pet your hair too, if you wanted. And I'll let you in on a secret…. I'm a lot happier about seeing you than I am about seeing the dogs."

That totally seemed like flirting. Open flirting. Hanamaki gave himself a little mental prep talk. _No need to panic. This is good. Great, even. Who would have thought we would end up hitting it off so well after caring for sick dogs. And sleeping next to each other. In just our underwear._ He blushed a bit at the memories of where he had slept last night, then cleared his throat before speaking. "I was thinking about you all morning. I still feel really bad about your suit, and for making you stay at work all night."

A genuine smile crossed Matsukawa's lips. "It was no problem. I actually slept really well for an overnight stay at the clinic. It must have been thanks to your company."

Hanamaki felt himself blush even darker. He silently thanked the universe for the events of the past twenty-four hours that had led him to meeting Matsukawa. But before he could respond with something equally flirty, a delicious sweet smell suddenly wafted through the air as the wind picked up. It made the dogs perk up and lunge forward to run in the direction that the scent was coming from. 

Unfortunately, Hanamaki wasn't holding the leashes tightly enough and all four of them slipped out of his grasp when the dogs bolted. He stared after them, frozen in shock, then came to his senses and started running after them. "Shit! Oikawa's going to kill me if anything else happens to them!" 

Without hesitation, Matsukawa started running after the dogs as well. "I'll help you get them!"

Hanamaki nodded gratefully. The two of them went after the small pack of dogs, chasing them through the park and up a street. The sidewalk they ran through was not crowded, so no one got knocked over by the big dogs. The dogs were fast; but so were the two men. Hanamaki and Mastukawa kept a brisk pace, running right beside each other as they trailed just behind the dogs. They didn't have to go far to find the source of the pleasant aroma. The dogs skid to a stop in front of a small bakery.

The four dogs almost ran inside the open door of the bakery, but Matsukawa yelled a couple commands in his firm voice. "Heel! Stay!" 

The dogs paused just long enough for the two men to reach them. Hanamaki had jumped the last step to close the distance between himself and the dogs. He felt pain when he landed; it shot through one ankle. He grimaced silently and tried to ignore the ache that was spreading quickly around his foot and ankle.

Matsukawa and Hanamaki each grabbed two leashes and started to pull the animals away. As they walked back towards the park, Hanamaki felt his pain sharpening. He didn't think he was going to be able to ignore it like he had hoped. He hissed through his teeth and gingerly started limping on that side as he looked down at his foot. 

Mastukawa glanced at him and followed his gaze down. "Did you twist your ankle?"

With a frown, Hanamaki looked at Matsukawa and gave a small nod. "I think I did. These damn dogs. I'm supposed to watch them until Sunday but I'm already exhausted."

After moving his two leashes into one hand, Matsukawa reached out to hold Hanamaki's arm steadily. He gave a concerned look as he spoke. "It'll be hard to do now that you're injured. Do you want me to help you get them home?"

Hanamaki bit his lip and looked down at the four dogs that were pulling against their leashes while trying to get back over to the source of the delicious smell of baked goods. It would definitely be hard to get them all home without help while his ankle was in so much pain. But he also felt bad for constantly being an inconvenience to Matsukawa. The man had gone out of his way to run at full speed, probably making himself late for work, just to offer assistance.

Hanamaki didn't want to put Matsukawa through more hassle. "You don't have to do that, you'll be late for work. I can manage."

Matsukawa gave a teasing grin and moved one hand to rest on his hip. "I'm sure you'd figure it out, but I'd feel bad leaving you to make your way home alone in your condition. Let's just say it would make me feel better if you let me help you."

Hanamaki gave a small grin as he stood on one leg while trying to keep hold of his two leashes without letting the dogs pull him over. "You make it seem like no big deal. Aren't you tired of bailing me out of trouble at every turn?"

With a raise of his eyebrow and a flirtatious tone, Matsukawa spoke as he kept a hold of his two leashes in one of his hands. "Are you saying that you're a bit of a handful?"

Hanamaki blushed slightly. "I just don't want to be rude and take up all your time."

Matsukawa winked at him. "Well I wouldn't be so rude as to let you walk home on a sprained ankle at the mercy of four strong dogs. Do you think you can walk along slowly if I hold all the leashes?"

With a sigh of defeat, Hanamaki nodded and handed the two leashes he held over to Mastukawa. 

Matsukawa held all the leashes firmly and then gave Hanamaki a nod. "Alright, where to?"

Hanamaki went to step forward to lead the way, but the pain of his ankle stopped him. He couldn't limp along like he had planned. He groaned and glanced at Matsukawa with a frown. "My friend's house is close, but I might have to hop on one foot the whole way there. Seriously, it might take forever. You should just go to work."

Matsukawa gave him a reassuring smile. "I think my schedule is light this morning, so Kindaichi will be able to take over for me. Here, take the leashes. You hold them and I'll carry you on my back." Then he looked at the dogs. "Sit!" Of course, the dogs obeyed and sat down.

Hanamaki took the leashes but also gave Matsukawa a doubtful look. "I couldn't ask you to do that."

Matsukawa knelt down in front of Hanamaki and laughed. "Well, you didn't ask me to, did you? I'm the one asking you to let me. Climb on."

Hanamaki considered it for a moment before he gave in and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Matsukawa's shoulders. Matsukawa hooked his hands under Hanamaki's legs and lifted him up, doing so easily. 

"Am I too heavy?" Hanamaki asked as he adjusted his hold around Matsukawa.

Matsukawa glanced back over his shoulder and grinned roguishly. "I could carry you all day, trust me."

Hanamaki was now convinced that Matsukawa was way too good for him. The man was practically hotter than a model and way more thoughtful than anyone he had ever met before. But he planned on trying to being with Matsukawa anyway, even if the man did seem to be out of his league. Oikawa had often told him something mushy when they drank together. He would say, _'you deserve a wonderful man like I have, so don't settle for anything less and don't let him go once you find him, damn it!'_ Hanamaki rolled his eyes at the memory because Oikawa was such a sentimental mess when he was drunk. 

He hid his blushing face against Matsukawa's shoulder and directed the man towards Oikawa's house. His mind was lost in thoughts about the events of the past twenty-four hours as he was carried along, and the walk was mostly silent. He kept a tight hold on the leashes even though the dogs seemed to have tired themselves; their pace was easy enough for Matsukawa to match. They soon reached Oikawa's street.

  
  
  
  



	6. It All Led To You

When they reached the gate of Oikawa's house, Matsukawa opened it and let the dogs into the yard, which allowed Hanamaki to finally let go of the leashes. Hanamaki let out a sigh of relief as he let his arms dangle down in front of Matsukawa's body. His muscles were shaking slightly since he had held his arms out at an awkward angle for too long. 

Matsukawa closed the gate after he walked through it with Hanamaki. He was pleased with how the morning was turning out because he couldn't get Hanamaki out of his head, and he was glad for the opportunity to spend more time together. But he was definitely not happy that Hanamaki had gotten hurt. He was trying to think of ways to help make the rest of Hanamaki's week with the dogs easier. He spoke as he walked up the path towards the front door. "Do the dogs do okay outside by themselves or should I get them inside the house?"

Hanamaki went back to hugging his arms tightly around Matsukawa at that point. His lips were curved into a soft smile as he gave a reply. "They do need to come inside since Iwaizumi doesn't like them digging up the garden. Oh, Iwaizumi is one of my friends that lives here. His boyfriend, Oikawa, is the one you met on the video chat last night."

Matsukawa hummed thoughtfully as he walked along. He had been waiting for an opportunity to bring up that topic, and he kept his voice even and calm. "So they're gay, huh? What about you?"

Hanamaki scoffed lightly as if he was unsure of whether Matsukawa's tone was approving or judgmental; his voice came out a little nervous. "Yeah, they're gay. And I'm gay too. Do you have a problem with that?"

With a soft chuckle as he stopped in front of the door, Matsukawa knelt down to let Hanamaki off of his back. Then he stood up and put a hand on Hanamaki's arm to help steady him while giving a small grin. He was now feeling confident enough to be more forward with his intentions. "Well, I'm also gay. So of course I'm alright with you being gay. I'm happy that you are, actually."

Hanamaki seemed relieved by that answer. He went to pull the keys to Oikawa's house out of his pocket and blushed as he spoke. "I'm single, just in case you were wondering."

"I was really hoping that you were. I'm single too," said Matsukawa as he watched Hanamaki unlock the door and push it open. After giving Hanamaki an impish grin, Mastukawa turned and let out a loud whistle to call the dogs over. The four big dogs ran up to him obediently. And then he leaned down to greet each of the dogs while unhooking their leashes as they passed by him to enter the house. 

Hanamaki gave an impressed whistle as he leaned against the doorframe while holding up his hurt ankle. "You really have a commanding presence. I wish I did too. I'm not sure how I'm going to survive watching them for the rest of the week since they ignore everything I say. Can you teach me how to make them listen?"

Matsukawa leaned down in front of Hanamaki and reached for his shoes. "I'll help you figure out the rest of the week. For starters, let me help you get your shoes off and get you inside."

Hanamaki glanced away and grinned shyly as Mastukawa untied his shoelaces. "You've done a lot for me and I'm really grateful. Aside from getting your suit cleaned, which I _will_ be paying for, is there a way I can make it all up to you?" 

Matsukawa had carefully gotten Hanamaki's shoes off and then stood up to slip out of his own shoes. Then he turned around and crouched in front of Hanamaki so that he could get on his back again, and glanced over his shoulder as he replied. "I might have a couple ideas."

Hanamaki climbed up onto Matsukawa's back and was carried inside. "Care to tell me what they are?"

Matsukawa set Hanamaki down on the couch, then turned around and looked at him with an assertive expression. "First, you can let me get you an ice pack for your ankle. Second, you can let me bring you dinner tonight, as well as breakfast and dinner for the rest of the week while you're here. Third, you can let me walk the dogs for you. I can do that when I bring breakfast and dinner. That way you can stay off of your ankle and rest."

Hanamaki was blushing deeply as he tried to take in what Matsukawa had just said. "Those all sound like things you'd be doing for me, not like ways for me to make things up to you."

Matsukawa snapped his fingers and then gave a self assured smirk. "Oh, that's right. I forgot the fourth thing. When your ankle is better, go on a proper date with me."

Hanamaki looked like he was trying to hold back a very enthusiastic grin. "You really want to go on a date with me even after all the hassle I've caused for you?" 

With a shrug, Matsukawa calmly replied. "Only if you want to. If you're not interested, I'll accept your answer. You really don't have to do anything for me. I only helped you because I wanted to."

Hanamaki gave a lighthearted chuckle. "Well then…. I'm only going to go on a date with you because I want to."

Matsukawa eyes lit up playfully. "Is that a yes to me bringing you meals, as well?"

Hanamaki seemed like he was trying to respond casually, but he just couldn't help giving a wide smile. "Only if you'll be planning to stay and eat with me."

With a laugh, Matsukawa turned to walk towards where the kitchen was located. "It's a deal, then. I'm getting you that ice now."

When Matsukawa returned with an ice pack, he leaned down to put the cold compress on Hanamaki's ankle. Then he moved to sit on the edge of the couch next to where Hanamaki was laying and gave a dashing smile as he reached for one of his hands. "I think I'll call out of work if you'll let me stay here with you today."

Hanamaki gave a small nod. And then, as if he was feeling rather bold in that moment, he reached up and tightly grabbed the front of Matsukawa's shirt. "I have something for you."

Matsukawa raised an eyebrow curiously as his eyes dropped to look at Hanamaki's lips. He already had a pretty good idea of what that 'something' was, and he was looking forward to it. When Hanamaki pulled the front of his shirt to bring him closer, he went willingly. They paused just before their lips met as their gazes locked. Then Matsukawa closed the distance and pressed their mouths together gently. Hanamaki tasted like the coffee he had drank with his breakfast, so Matsukawa smiled into the kiss; he loved the taste of coffee. 

Matsukawa closed his eyes while one hand reached out to hold the side of Hanamaki's neck. He ran his thumb along Hanamaki's jawline gently and then moved his hand up into the man's pink hair. They were still holding hands, and Matsukawa gave Hanamaki's hand a soft squeeze. He let their lips linger together for another moment before pulling back to look at Hanamaki, who was almost vibrating due to his excitement. Matsukawa was feeling that same level of giddiness himself. After a moment, he spoke as he flashed an easy-going grin. "That was a very special something. Do you have another I could have?"

Hanamaki nodded while eyeing Matsukawa's lips. "I have a lot more of them where that came from."

Matsukawa hummed and leaned forward to kiss Hanamaki again. As he did so, he mumbled against his lips. "Guess we should stick together so I can collect all of them."

Hanamaki hummed in agreement and whispered playfully after the kiss ended. "I think it would take a really long time to give you every single one."

Matsukawa leaned in for another soft kiss, which turned into several more. Their lips continued to meet and move together at a pace that was slow and relaxed. Hanamaki kept a tight grip on the front of Matsukawa's shirt so that he remained close. When Matsukawa lightly brushed his tongue along Hanamaki's bottom lip, Hanamaki sighed as he parted his lips. The kiss grew deeper until Matsukawa was the one to finally break it.

With a satisfied hum, Matsukawa went to lay beside Hanamaki on the couch. He wrapped his arms around him and cuddled their bodies together closely. "I'll have to keep trying forever, then, because I want all of them."

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Check out the art for this fic on my tumbler!](https://spacejammie2020.tumblr.com/post/641355133608951808/yna-has-once-again-brought-a-scene-from-one-of-my)
> 
> [And here is the artist who did the art!](https://twitter.com/yna_arts?s=09)


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